Bokeh, Two!

Here is another batch of the bokeh paintings I made.

These blue and green paintings really pleased me.  There is more I could do with them, but I stopped there.

Painting Fun: Bokeh pictures

Recently I watched a YouTube video which introduced "bokeh" painting to me. Sadly I have watched too many videos since then and don't know whose it was.   I had never heard of it but I immediately loved it.

 If I understand correctly, (which I hope, because this is how I did it) using watercolor paints you wet the 140-lb paper all over then drop blots of several colors all over it in random patterns to fill the whole card.  

Once the painting is dry, using a white pigment ink pad, you daub ink onto increasingly smaller stencils of the same image.  Since I had been cutting out hearts of multiple sizes for a Relief Society activity, I used the hearts.

These are what I came up with:

This is the yellow/blue/green group.  Eventually I am going to make them into note cards but right now I am just trying out background colors.

Homemade General Tso's Sauce

Because there is a vegetarian in the house, and because I am not a full time vegetarian, sometimes I crave a little meat.  That is what I tell myself. My way of "fixing" the problem is that every few months I will take a book and go to a Chinese buffet and eat too much food.

Recently I had a near-fainting episode and thought my blood sugar was too low.  In order to stave off something worse, I went to the buffet.  After picking through several serving dishes to load my plate with broccoli and a few bits of meat, plus a bowl with dumplings and dipping sauce, I had a nice time munching and listening to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover since I had by a fluke brought my headphones with me in my purse.

Dave Ramsey really caught my attention. I wish I had read that book much earlier in life, but there is so much we can still use even at this period in life.  This is a financial makeover book as well as a weight loss book, if you are listening.

So, eating all that broccoli and the little bits of meat was lovely, except for the too-full felling afterwards.  As I sat there, I realized that it was the sauces that appeal to me.  I had previously learned to make the dumpling dipping sauce into which I dip steamed broccoli at home.  I figured I needed to find a General Tso's sauce recipe.  Which I did.  Actually several sauces which I sort of mish-mashed together then fine tuned to my taste.

PACC Version General Tso's Sauce

1 15-ounce can vegetable broth (I think chicken broth would be better)
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic (this time I used pre-minced from a jar.  Freshly minced would be better.)
1 teaspoon Sambal Oeleck
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed into 3 Tablespoons water

Combine everything except the cornstarch and water in a 2 quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch with hot water until it is smooth then stir into the sauce and cook until slightly thickened.  This tastes pretty good. 

First Real Greeting Card Effort

There was a baby shower this week. I could not knit so I tried making some note cards.  They were very fun to make.

Here is a short video to see how they turned out.  You can even see the homemade stick'em on the envelope flaps!

Envelopes to Order!

So, it is such a nice thing when you put a video up on YouTube and someone asks you to make some envelopes having actually WATCHED that video!

This morning as soon as I crawled out of bed I decided that it was the first day of a new year so I would be productive immediately.  I made 25 envelopes for the friend who watched the video and said she could use them.

Here is a picture of them:

25 envelopes using the Envelope Punch Board and some paper from Joann Fabrics and Crafts which I will name shortly..

So far I have been having fun with the envelope punch board. I think I am going to try to make a box for the envelopes using the board.  There are LOTS of videos by clever people on YouTube.

If you want to look at that newest video--a first effort with the new camera just to see if it could be done so I left in all the bloopers and other warts---here is the place to click.

Two Days in a Row: Successful Food!

SO...supper was really yummy tonight. It was also ever so easy.  When I use the word "tofu" you will probably turn up your nose.  I know I used to do that, too.  That white slimy, pasty, tasteless bean curd really turned my mental stomach.  But that was then; this is now!

The name I am giving supper is:  Crispy Spicy Asian Sauced Tofu in a Rice Bowl.

Start by taking a 14-16 ounce block of firm or extra firm tofu and drain well.  Place tofu block on a plate that is covered with 4-6 layers of paper towels.  Put more paper towels on top of the tofu then put a plate or pie tin or some other flat dish on top and place a heavy can (28-ounce or so) on top. Let  press for at least 30 minutes. 

For the rice:
Put 1 Tablespoon coconut oil in a heavy saucepan to melt.  Add one cup long grain brown rice and stir well.  Break one ounce (or however much you want) of vermicelli or angel hair pasta into  one-inch pieces and add to the long grain rice.  Stir well and cook over medium heat until pasta is lightly browned and rice is sort of cooked-looking, but not more than five minutes tops.

Add 3 cups vegetable or chicken or beef broth. Stir well and bring to a boil.  Once boiling turn heat down to low and put cover on. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

While rice/pasta is cooking prepare the magic ingredients!  Have on hand a bottle of Sweet Chili Sauce for Chicken from your local Asian market.  To 3/4 cup of the Sweet Chili Sauce add 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos and 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil.  Stir well and set aside.  (You can lick the spoon to have a little preview of coming attractions; being careful not to lick out the whole bowl at this point....!)

Now for the crispy tofu:

Start a heavy skillet (I used a 12-inch cast-iron frying pan) heating over medium heat with 3 Tablespoons of coconut oil.  While the oil is heating to the shimmering stage, dice your pressed tofu into actual dice-sized pieces or whatever size suits your fancy and place in a large flat pan. I used a 10 inch by 3 inch cake pan.  Put the tofu dice in the pan and sprinkle with a little coarse kosher salt.  Shake pan to distribute the salt. After two minutes toss 2 Tablespoons corn starch over the tofu dice and  shake the pan to completely cover the tofu in the cornstarch.  Add 2 more Tablespoons cornstarch and shake again.  All the cornstarch should attach to the tofu dice.  Put the coated tofu carefully into the frying pan and start it "crisping".   Let is fry WITHOUT TOUCHING AGAIN for 6 minutes, being sure that the pan is on medium not HIGH heat.

At the end of the first cooking time the bottoms should be browned and the tofu should move rather than be stuck to the bottom of the skillet.  Turn the tofu over and cook for 6 more minutes.  Gently break up the browned tofu dice then pour the Sweet Chili/Soy/Sesame sauce over it right in the frying pan.  Stir well to coat the tofu. 

Place a serving of the rice/pasta into a bowl.  Spoon on some sauced tofu and garnish with a little sliced scallion.  Really yummy.  Easy to consume too much...

AND  the reviews are stellar, if you can believe it!  We will be eating this again.  The magic sauce is pictured below:

A New Food Adventure...

While at the local recycling center (a place I LOVE to go....though it is always a bust when I come home with more than I have dropped off....) some months ago I found a book called The Book of Children's Food by Lorna Rhodes which was published in 1992.  Finally last week on a lazy day I pulled out the book and began perusing the recipes.  Several of them looked really fun and yummy.  Due to vegetarian issues, lots of them will only have a chance if we are contributing to a potluck for which I don't mind making two dishes. I really think I will try the baked fish fingers for the grandkids who LOVE it when I bring them fried fish.  Theoretically this will be healthier...

Anyway, recently I purchased a bag of Bob's Red Mill Bulgur and had not broken into it.  After church I decided to do so.  There is a recipe in Children's Foods called Spicy Vegetable Bulgur. I thought we had all the ingredients so I made it while Dear One napped.  Upon querying me about the meal he thought it sounded iffy.  Not to me, so I persevered....

When he woke up from his nap there was a nice bowl (I prefer serving just about everything in a bowl rather than a plate) of Spicy Vegetable Bulgar waiting. He did eat a few bites then put the frozen pizza he had been wanting to eat into the oven...so we were both happy.

To see the actual recipe, go to Grammie's Kitchen and Bedtime Stories.